Policies

Verve Ministries General Policies Page

&

Terms and Conditions

Verve Ministries General Policy & Terms and Conditions Page*

This website is operated by Verve Ministries.

Your use of this website and the purchase of any affiliated products, courses, publications, or any other resources as defined by this document from this website or ministry is subject to these policies & terms and conditions.

By accepting these policies & terms and conditions, you warrant that you are over the age of 18 or a Parent or Guardian of a Child and authorized to agree to these terms on behalf of a child.  

1. Contents

  1. Contents
  2. Introduction.
  3. Prophetic Words.
  4. Considerations in assessing a prophecy.
  5. Understanding your Prophecy.
  6. Sales.
  7. Refund and Returns Policy.
  8. Disclaimers.
  9. Intellectual Property.
  10. Social Media.
  11. Webinars and Teachable.
  12. Third Parties.
  13. Privacy Policy.
  14. Complaints.
  15. General

2. Introduction

  • Verve Ministries (“our”, “us”, “we”) exists to equip the body of Christ through prophecy, writing, teaching, and training. Our primary obligation is to Jesus Christ, and we seek to serve Him to the best of our abilities and understanding. We seek to serve the Body of Christ as a ministry to Jesus and His (universal) Church.
  • Please understand we are not a pastoral ministry, nor a prayer ministry, and while we pray for people at times, and deeply care, we ask that you offer your prayer requests to your local community. We are not equipped to help in this way, due to limited resources and personnel.
  • Please also understand that while we will at times release personal prophetic words in our teaching and training sessions, we ask that you do not message or send requests for personal prophetic words. We again confirm that we are limited in resources and personnel and simply do not have the resources to meet every need. 
  • As we serve the Body of Christ, we trust for and are grateful to the same Body for donations and financial support. We offer our prophetic ministry and our stories of encouragement to the Body of Christ through posts via our website and social media free of charge and obligation.   We require no financial commitment for subscription to this service but provide the opportunity to anyone to financially support this ministry through donations.   All donations are offered as a gift and are gratefully received as such, and are invaluable in running and maintaining a faith-based ministry.
  • We will seek to responsibly steward donations in support of this ministry and the workers who serve it. We may also use a portion of donations we receive to support other ministries, as led by Jesus.

3. Prophetic Words

  • The most common form of prophetic word is offered universally to the Body of Christ. We acknowledge that, broadly, people will be differently positioned to receive a prophetic word, and not every prophetic word is intended for every person. Neither is every prophetic word intended for every region.
  • We provide information that we believe is a true word of Jesus. This information is provided on the basis that the recipient understands that what is provided must be assessed, weighed, and acted upon according to the considerations in seeking to receive a prophetic word, which you acknowledge you have read in Part 4 below.
  • We encourage the practice of discernment regarding how to read a prophetic word, and wisdom in acting upon it. We encourage those who are not confident in discernment to seek mentorship from someone reputable and more experienced.   We engage with prophecy as a personal communication from Jesus to those who have a personal relationship with Jesus, and those who have discerned the message that was intended for them.
  • We also encourage treating a prophetic word, as we do with every promise from Jesus, as an invitation to engage with Jesus and personally receive Him. We do not believe that every prophetic word will automatically result in divine intervention, outside of your own engagement with God in obedience and faith.
  • We hope to maintain regular prophetic words and encouraging messages delivered without charge to a mass audience via social media services (i.e. Facebook etc) and email. We make no offer of “prophetic words to order” and, should a prophetic word be requested, we make no guarantee of delivery, or that the prophetic word will be favorable.

4. Considerations in assessing a prophecy

  • Guidelines:
    • A prophetic word can never replace seeking Jesus yourself. It can never be a substitute for prayer, fasting, and studying the Bible.
    • A prophetic word is not the only way that Jesus can reveal His purposes – however, it can play an important role.
    • Any prophetic word will be in part, progressive and conditional.
      • “In part” because “we prophesy in part” (1 Corinthians 13:9).
      • “Progressive” – look at Abraham’s life and the promises given to him (Genesis 12 & 13).
      • “Conditional” – whether any conditions are mentioned (Genesis 18:19).
    • A prophetic word requires you to act – it is not an indication that Jesus will act such that you do not need to take any action.
  • The following Bible verses identify issues that may prevent the fulfillment of a prophetic word:
    • Unbelief (Hebrews 3:19).
    • Mindset (Matthew 18:21-22).
    • Wrong self-image (Exodus, chapters 3 – 4).
    • Soul blockage (Jeremiah 38:19, 1 Samuel 15:24).
    • Impatience (1 Samuel 13:12).
    • Negligence, procrastination, and laziness (Exodus 4:24).
    • Misapplication and misinterpretation e.g. Saul substitutes sacrifice for obedience. (1 Samuel 15)
    • Pride (Isaiah 14:13,14).
    • Disappointment and disillusionment.
    • Blame shifting, self-deception, and people-pleasing (1 Samuel 15:20-21, 14:11-21, 20:7-12).

5. Understanding your Prophecy

  • We recommend the following actions as you seek to understand a prophetic word.
    • Receive the prophetic word with faith and acceptance.
    • Record the prophetic word (if not already in a re-playable format).
    • Play back the prophetic word and then write it out. Read it several times and ask Jesus about anything that is unclear.   Discuss it with your pastor or spiritual mentor and ask for his/her input.
    • Look for confirmation of any previous prophetic words you have received.
    • Realize that the first interpretation is not necessarily the right one. There can be several interpretations of the same prophetic word.
    • Witness to your prophetic word with your spirit – not your mind, emotions, personal opinions, or goals (1 Thess 5:23). Realize that Jesus can use a prophetic word to speak new revelations as well as confirm any prophetic words from the past.
    • Speak your prophetic word aloud.
    • Do not make any significant changes unless you are clearly directed to do so – keep doing what you are doing until Jesus has directed you to change.
    • You need to be patient to see the fulfillment of God’s will.
    • Receive the prophetic word in a spirit of humility, meekness, and submission, and do not negate Jesus’ word by receiving a prophetic word in the wrong spirit.
    • Actively learn and grow in your abilities to engage with your prophetic word. If need be, gain good quality solid training in how to process the word so that you may engage with the word in wisdom, gleaning the time and season for its fulfillment.

6. Sales

  • In addition to providing prophetic words without charge as described in clause 2, we may offer for sale teaching and training resources and other items which may contain prophetic words (“Resources”).
    • Examples of Resources may include books, mugs, other printed material, DVDs, CDs, USBs, and live and/or online teaching.
    • Resources may be offered for financial reward and will be subject to the delivery, refund, and policies listed below.
    • Revenue from the sale of Resources will be collected and used by us in a similar way to donations.
  • After ordering Resources online, you will receive an email confirmation containing your order details (if you have provided your email address). We will normally confirm receipt of your order within a few minutes of your order.
    • We will attempt to send physical Resources via postal service or courier in a timely manner; however, if goods are unavailable, delivery will take a little longer. Delivery times may also be affected by postal providers and staff availability.
    • We will attempt to provide electronic Resources within two working days.
  • Emails are often collected by spam filters. It is up to you to ensure that spam filters are adequately set up to allow the delivery of our emails. In some circumstances, web hosts also filter emails and may prevent email transmission of invoices and purchase-related data.   This is outside of our control.
  • If you purchase an electronic training from us that requires further communications by email, we ask that you do not unsubscribe from receiving our emails, since this will block any further communications with you by email, possibly causing you to miss important information about products, courses, and training purchased.
  • If you purchase a Resource from us, we may request certain personal information, such as contact information (e.g. name, email, phone number, and postal address) and financial information (e.g. credit card number, expiration date). Credit card information is not stored by us and is handled directly by our payment gateways (i.e Stripe, PayPal, Woo Commerce).
  • If you wish to make a query about delivery please contact us at beth@verveministries.com We will always try to respond as soon as possible but response times can be as long as a week.
  • If you have placed an order with us, please do not unsubscribe from email notifications. This will stop you from receiving important information regarding any training you may have signed up for, causing you to miss important information, zoom links, and further materials.

7. Refund and Returns Policy

  • Donations
    • Any donations to us are received as a gift free of obligation. We do not offer any refund of donations, despite a change of heart or grievance.
    • Our ministry is based in Australia, where there are legal restrictions on the refund of donations. We are bound to comply with these laws.
    • If a transaction is suspicious, we will notify the relevant authorities.
    • We expect anyone wishing to donate to have considered their decision carefully and checked donation amounts and denomination exchange rates during transactions. 
    • If any instance where an error has been made by ourselves, our financial institution, or any of our third-party affiliates we will honor a refund request made within 30 days of the original donation date.
    • Refunds will be returned using the original method of payment – if a donation has been made by credit card, the refund must be credited to that same credit card. Refund requests must be made by either the person who made the donation, a named person on the record, or the cardholder. 
    • In any instance where an error has been made by us, or any of our third-party affiliates, we will honor a refund request made within 90 days of the donation date.
    • In the event that fraud is involved, the matter will be reported to the police. 
  • Sales
    • If for any reason you are not completely satisfied with your purchase of a Resource, we will give you a 30-day money-back guarantee from the time you receive the goods. Goods must be available for return at your expense.   Please email us at beth@VerveMinistries.com within that time if you are not satisfied with your purchase so that we can resolve any problems.   Our primary method of resolution is the replacement of damaged items. We will always try to respond as soon as possible but response times can be as long as a week.
    • This refund policy does not apply to goods which have been worn or used, damaged after delivery, or if any attempt has been made to alter the Resource.
    • Please note that we do not refund shipping costs on ordered products. Our 30 Day Money Back Guarantee does not apply to electronically delivered media and tickets.
    • All products must be returned in their original condition, i.e., the condition in which you received it. We recommend that you return the product via Registered post and require that you prepay all return postage.
    • We are not responsible for any goods that are lost, stolen, or damaged after they leave our premises. We recommend you take out insurance to cover any loss, damage, or theft of goods.

8. Disclaimers

  • Any information or Resources provided by us to you is provided in good faith and is only of a general nature.
  • Any information or Resources provided by us are not a substitute for obtaining advice from a competent professional. You acknowledge that our materials do not constitute professional advice. You acknowledge that our materials do not constitute legal advice.  Information or Resources provided by us are not intended to replace qualified professional advice and the materials cannot predict the future with certainty.
  • Do not rely on the information or Resources we provide to make any decision that would affect your legal, financial, or medical condition; seek the advice of a licensed or qualified professional for any inquiry involving matters such as law, finance, or medicine.
  • All information and Resources are provided “as is” and without warranties of any kind.
  • You acknowledge that we accept no responsibility for any consequences arising from any use (or otherwise) of the information or Resources by you.
  • You agree that we will not be liable, to the greatest extent permitted by law, whether in contract, tort (including negligence), breach of statutory duty, or otherwise, under or in connection with the information or Resources we provide, for any indirect, consequential or special loss or damage, even if we have been advised of the possibility of such loss or damage, or for any loss or profits, loss of sales, loss of business or agreements or loss of goodwill.
  • You agree to indemnify us against, and at all times will hold us harmless from, to the greatest extent permitted by law, any and all claims, liabilities, loss, or damage of any nature however suffered or incurred by you, your agents, representatives, or heirs, arising from or connected with the performance of, any action by our officers, employees or agents.

9. Intellectual Property

  • We often produce videos using Facebook Live, our own recording equipment, other platforms, or third-party recording equipment. While we often broadcast these videos publicly, we maintain our claim of intellectual property in those recordings.   If you are interested in reproducing or re-broadcasting any recordings produced by us, (for example on another YouTube channel), please secure written permission first.   We can be contacted via our contact page.
  • When you participate in our recorded events, whether in person or through electronic media such as Facebook Live, you consent to our recording of your participation and or use of the recording of you, without compensation of any kind to you.
  • Unless you request otherwise in writing, in advance of our usage as described in this clause, you consent to our reproduction of any of your posts or emails, in whole or in part, in the course of our provision of information or Resources, and for that reproduction to become part of our intellectual property.
  • Registered and unregistered trademarks, logos, service marks, and trade names (collectively the “Trademarks”) owned by us may not be used in any manner without our prior written consent.
  • Where we use a Trademark with the permission of the Trademark’s owner, we cannot and do not grant, explicitly or by implication, any license or right to any third party to use that Trademark.  Any use of such Trademarks is strictly prohibited.
  • We will enforce our Trademark rights to the fullest extent of the law.
  • Possible Infringement by us:

If you are the owner of intellectual property and you believe we have infringed rights in that intellectual property, or the intellectual property of a third party, please notify us at admin@verveministries.com.   All notices should include:

  • identification of the material that you claim infringes intellectual property rights, with enough detail so that we may locate that material;
  • information describing how you believe that your intellectual property rights were infringed; and
  • your name, address, telephone number, email address, and your physical or electronic signature.

Although we endeavor to respond to emails in a timely manner, it may take a few days to investigate your complaint and respond. We will endeavor to correct any errors promptly once we are made aware of them.

10. Social Media

  • We use social media as an integral part of communication for our ministry. Our social media spaces are public spaces with limited privacy. 
  • Harassment and inappropriate posts are not welcome and may be subject to moderation.
  • In our social media spaces, any personal information that is disclosed is publicly available, and any statements are also public. By posting anything to our social media, you consent to its public display and our use of the content you post.
  • If we use testimony from social media, we will attempt to maintain anonymity, unless you consent to the release of your name. However, we cannot guarantee that your identity may not be discernible as a result of the facts you post.
  • In participating and commenting on a Facebook live event, you are gathering in a public place where you agree to the broadcast of your information. Sometimes during live sessions, personal names are called out, and personal prophetic words are given, and that presentation becomes an integral part of the Facebook Live video.   While the video remains on Facebook in its original format, we also save and upload these videos on YouTube and our website.   If you are named, or a personal prophetic word is given, and you wish to remain anonymous in further reproductions, please notify staff at admin@verveministries.com, preferably within an hour of the end of the broadcast, so the relevant footage can be removed from the finished product.
  • We encourage discourse on social media, but we will moderate comments we deem threatening to our workers or the community. Our moderator will determine acceptable limits of discussion.  
  • Online harassment, particularly personal attacks on employees or workers of this ministry, or any statement which is defamatory, is not acceptable.   Screenshots of harassing comments may be archived, comments may be deleted, and accounts may be blocked.   In severe circumstances, authorities will be contacted.
  • Social media sites (Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, etc) collect data and analytics according to their relevant privacy policies. For information on their policies, please view the links below.

11. Webinars and Thinkific

  • We conduct webinars from time to time.

Registrants are encouraged to participate in conversations and sometimes receive personal ministry.   Such sessions are generally recorded and made available for registrants who cannot access the live session, or registrants who register after the sessions have finished. Video and audio collected are generally unchanged from the broadcast session. Sometimes people are named, and prophetic words are given to the persons so named.   By participating in a live event, you agree to the collection of this information and later broadcast of the recording in video form.

If you are identified, or a personal prophecy is given and you wish to remain anonymous in further reproductions, please notify staff at admin@verveministries.com, preferably within an hour of the end of the broadcast, so the relevant footage can be removed from the finished product.

  • We use Zoom and Thinkific to host our webinars and YouTube. While the format and processing of videos are handled on our own systems, we use Zoom, Vimeo, YouTube, Facebook, and Thinkific to host the recordings.
  • Thinkific requires a separate login to our own website and, in doing so, you engage in a separate relationship with Thinkific for all activities undertaken on that platform. Some information is available to us, such as email addresses, course enrollment, and progression, along with some personal information.   We will maintain and limit access to this information as per our privacy policy.   For Thinkific’s privacy policy and terms of use please observe the links below.

Chat and discussions during live sessions are handled by YouTube and/or Facebook. For their privacy policy please observe the links below:

12. Third Parties

  • We may at our discretion use third parties to provide essential services on our website or for our business processes. Examples include our payment gateways (i.e Stripe, PayPal, Woo Commerce) and website and email hosting (WordPress, Mailchimp, Mailpoet, Flodesk).   The manner in which these third parties handle your information is outside of our control.   Please make yourself aware of the privacy policies of these third parties.
  • Our website may include links to third-party websites, plug-ins, and applications. Clicking on those links or enabling those connections may allow third parties to collect or share data about you.   The manner in which these third parties handle your information is outside of our control.   Please make yourself aware of the privacy policies of these third parties

13. Privacy Policy

  • Under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), we are defined as a small business operator, and exempt from the application of the Australian Privacy Principles.
  • Nevertheless, we regard privacy as extremely important and are committed to safeguarding the privacy of your information. This privacy policy will set out your privacy rights and how we manage your personal data.  
  • By visiting our websites, you affirmatively consent to our collection, use, and distribution of your data according to the terms of this privacy policy.
  • It is important that you read this privacy policy so that you are fully aware of how and why we are using your data. If you choose to visit any of our websites, your visit is subject to this privacy policy, and you acknowledge that you agree to these terms.
  • This website is not intended for children. We will not knowingly collect, use, or disclose any personal information from anyone under the age of 13. (see COPPA – USA, CPP, Aust)
  • In addition to the personal data you provide to us, we may gather information such as the date, time, browser type, navigation history, and IP address of any visitors to our website(s) through the use of web logs or log files.
  • Except as stated in this policy, we do not share your personally identifiable information with other companies, apart from those acting as our agents in providing our service to you, and which agree to use it only for that purpose and to keep the information secure and confidential.
  • By using our website, you agree that we may use your personal data, and other information we gather, for the following purposes:
    • For administration, including management of financial transactions and donations.
    • To ask you for financial support and non-financial support such as volunteering or prayer.
    • To administer your account.
    • To deliver newsletter emails to you.
  • To determine which of our services are the most popular to deliver customized content and advertising within our website.
  • To maintain our internal security audit log, trend analysis, system administration, and to gather broad demographic information about our user base.
  • To comply with any law, such as in response to a court order or a subpoena, or other legal obligation, in response to a law enforcement agency’s request. You should also be aware that courts of law or equity may have the authority under certain circumstances to permit your information to be shared or transferred to third parties without your permission.
  • To contact or bring legal action against someone who may be causing injury to or interference with (either intentionally or unintentionally) our rights or property.
  • To provide and receive aggregate information, which is not personally identifiable, with other entities, such as demographic data (e.g. gender and/or geographic location of users), but will not include personal information (such as names or email addresses). Aggregate demographic information is used for purposes including improvement of our service, for research purposes, for marketing/promotional purposes, and/or for industry reporting purposes.
  • To inform you of other products or services available from us and its affiliates.
  • To contact you via surveys to conduct research about your opinion of current services or of potential new services.
  • To facilitate training of, and service delivery by, our staff, volunteers, and training consultants.
  • You have the right to withdraw consent to marketing at any time by clicking on an unsubscribe link in one of our emails to you. Please be aware that in doing so you may no longer receive pertinent information regarding any program or Resource you have purchased.
  • Cookies
    • Cookies are text files placed on your computer to collect standard internet log information and visitor behavior information. This information is used to track visitor use of the website and to compile statistical reports on website activity.
    • Some cookies are used to make login to our sites easier (such as by remembering usernames and passwords), or to personalize your online experience. Cookies can also enable us to track users’ movements and target their interests to enhance their experience at our websites. We may also collect clickstream data and assign unique identifiers to our users for the same purposes.   Information obtained with these technologies may be associated with your personal information so we can better market to you and customize our advertisements and promotions to your interests.
    • If you register with our website or services, a cookie helps us to recall your specific information on subsequent visits. This simplifies the process of recording your personal information, such as billing addresses, shipping addresses, and so on.   When you return to our website, the information you previously provided can be retrieved, so you can easily use the features that you customized.
    • Most common web browsers, such as Chrome, Firefox, and Internet Explorer, allow you to modify your settings to block cookies entirely, or alert you every time a cookie is sent, or allow usage only on those websites you choose. You can also delete cookies stored on your computer’s hard drive. However, some of the website features may not function as a result.
    • For further information visit http://www.aboutcookies.org or http://www.allaboutcookies.org.
  • Security of your personal information and breaches
    • We secure your personal information (and any back-ups) from unauthorized access, use or disclosure on computer servers in a controlled, secure environment.
    • When personal information (such as a credit card number) is transmitted to other websites, such as Paypal, Stripe, and WooCommerce we rely upon the encryption implemented by those websites.
    • We will deal promptly with any accidental or unauthorized disclosure of personal information.
    • We will take reasonable steps to destroy or permanently de-identify personal information if it is no longer needed. In instances where information is archived, we will take reasonable steps to ensure the security of this information.
  • Changes to this statement

We will occasionally update this statement of privacy to reflect company and customer feedback. We encourage you to periodically review this statement to be informed of how we are protecting your information.

14. Complaints

  • We value constructive complaints and feedback and recognize that effective complaint handling will benefit this ministry. If you have any complaints, we welcome you to email us at admin@VerveMinistries.com. We generally check this email address weekly. If you have not received a response within that time, we welcome you to email again to check our receipt. Emails with included links or attachments are often captured by our spam filter.
  • Threatening or abusive emails may be reported to authorities. If an email is received in an abusive format, regardless of the validity of a complaint it may be considered abuse. If you have a genuine complaint and wish it to be formally received it must be sent without personal attacks or abusive language/text.
  • Each complaint will be assessed on its own merits.
  • We live in a world of differing theological and ideological perspectives. If a complaint is based on a difference of theological and ideological opinion and perspective, we make no guarantee for a resolution.
  • As far as possible confidentiality and privacy will be maintained, and where applicable we will be transparent in reporting back results to you as quickly as reasonably possible.
  • We will endeavor to resolve any issues to the best of our abilities.

15. General

  • Contact:
    • If you have questions or concerns regarding this statement, you should first contact our staff at beth@verveministries.com. We will always try to respond as soon as possible but response times can be as long as a week.
  • Verve Ministries includes:
    • Verve Ministries a registered business name of ABK group Pty Ltd.
    • God is Good Stories a registered business name of ABK Group Pty Ltd
    • Southern Prophetic Voices a registered business name of ABK Group Pty Ltd
    • ABK Group Pty Ltd registered as a company under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), in Victoria.
  • If we decide to change our terms and conditions, we will place those changes on our website. We reserve the right to modify these terms and conditions at any time.
  • These policies were last updated on 2nd March 2023.
  • These terms and conditions are subject to (and where applicable form for the terms and conditions of a contract under) the law of the State of Victoria and, where relevant, the law of the Commonwealth of Australia. Any dispute regarding these terms and conditions are subject to adjudication by the courts of Victoria and, where relevant, the Federal Court of Australia.

 

* Beth Kennedy and Verve Ministries acknowledge, honor and thank Lana Vawser Ministries for their generosity in allowing us and providing written permission to utilize their policy documentation as a precedent in drafting our own. The copyright of this document rests with Lana Vawser Ministries. If anyone wishes to utilize all or part of this document for their own use, please contact Lana Vawser Ministries directly. This document may not serve the purposes of your ministry. It has been changed and modified to suit Verve Ministries’ purposes. Where changes have been made, the copyright rests with Verve Ministries. Always seek legal advice from a qualified legal practitioner for more details and guidance pertinent to your own situation.

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